A view exchange meeting held at Koyra upazila in Khulna. Photo:BSS

KHULNA, April 3, 2025 (BSS) – Highlighting the importance of primary education, technical and information communication based (ICT) knowledge, the speakers said country’s manpower export can be increased if steps are taken to develop skills of the disadvantaged communities of the coastal region.

Experts came up with this observation at a view exchange meeting held at the North Kheona Government Primary School grounds at Koyra upazila, adjacent to Sundarbans in Khulna today.
Koyra, a coastal saline prone upazila of Khulna, surrounded by the Sundarbans, is focusing on the development of disadvantaged and backward communities. 

The meeting on Human Resource Development and Safe Migration was organized by the Bureau of Manpower, Employment, and Training (BMET) under the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment. Koyra UNO Ruli Biswas presided over the meeting. 

Speaking as the chief guest, BMET’s Additional Director General Md. Ashraf Hossain said that although Khulna is the third-largest city in Bangladesh, it lags behind significantly in manpower export. 

He mentioned that Khulna has four technical training centers where individuals can receive training to enhance their skills and secure jobs abroad. 

He said that many unskilled Bangladeshi workers face exploitation and harassment abroad due to a lack of specific job skills. As a result, they are often forced to accept lower wages, lower-ranking jobs, or even job termination, he added. 

If proper steps are not taken for human resource development, the country’s progress will face a setback, he said, adding that youths must be trained through various institutions with modern and specialized skill development programmes.

KM Najma Parvin, head teacher of Maharajpur Government Primary School, emphasized the importance of primary schools in developing skilled individuals. 

Maulana Md. Abdul Hannan, Acting Principal of Gozalia Alim Madrasa, highlighted the necessity of learning different languages to develop an ICT based skilled workforce for overseas jobs to increase remittances. 

He said madrasas offer Arabic and Urdu language education alongside Bangla and English. 
Md. Shahinuzzaman, Director of the Employees Welfare Board, Khulna, Special Metropolitan Magistrate (Dhaka) Sheikh Mohammad Belal, Koyra Press Club President Sadar Uddin Ahmed and Koyra Upazila Jamaat-e-Islami Amir Maulana Mizanur Rahman, among others, spoke on the event.